


When the moon is in Aquarian Eighth House... it's time to come back

by MinaGermany



Series: Vladimir Duckula [8]
Category: Count Duckula
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,929
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28222308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinaGermany/pseuds/MinaGermany
Summary: What was it like for Vladimir when Count Duckula was awakened again? How did he feel it in distant Germany? And what had to happen before Vladimir could return? On the Count's birthday, Vladimir tells the part of his life story.
Series: Vladimir Duckula [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2031967





	1. When the moon is in Aquarian Eighth House

Northern Germany 1988

That night Vladimir slept restlessly, it was as if a quiet voice spoke to him steadily. The whisper of an old familiar voice, long forgotten…. Vladimir started up in his sleep, gasped, it was impossible to think of falling asleep. He crept quietly out of his room, his foster parents were sleeping soundly, so that they did not even notice how he went outside.  
It was night, the air was fresh and a cool wind was blowing.  
Vladimir took a breath. He hoped that the fresh night air would help him clear his head, either banish that voice from his head or arrange it where he knew it.  
With a sigh, he went down the path. Lately everything has been so confused in his head. His foster parents were getting very old, he was worried about them and didn't want to let them down until their last day, no matter what Jutta and Frank said he was too small to take care of them!  
What should he do? Then there was that voice in his head that had been getting louder lately and had reached its climax tonight.  
Vladimir raised his head and looked up at the sky, the clouds moved away, revealing the moon ... the full moon!  
Vladimir winced. WHAT? He heard the conjuring voice in his head again. How did he know her and what did she have to do with the full moon?  
He felt his heart beat faster ... it couldn't be ... it just couldn't be!

For a split second, he saw himself sitting as a little chick with an old vulture leaning over old papers.  
"You Vladimir, I can bring your father back when he stands in the moon in Aquarian's Eighth House ..."

This time Vladimir really jumped. He rubbed his hair and ran home. He was in such a hurry to get back into the house that he slammed the door behind him, but that his foster parents had become quite deaf didn't hear this. Vladimir jumped onto the bed and trembled, pulling his legs up to his body to hold them tight.  
His father! his father was back! after all this years?  
But did he even want to go back to this one? He, Vladimir, had changed, he had become "tame". He didn't feel like chasing mortals. The very thought disgusted him! He just wanted to live in peace with them! like here where he now lived.  
This had become his home! Here in northern Germany and not in a distant mountain in old castle. That was so long ago ... it was no longer his world!  
And anyway ... he thought of the political situation in his former home.  
And this looked anything but good. The country was battered by a cruel dictator. Everything he heard about it made him shiver. Did he ever have a chance to get home? And anyway, even if he did, he didn't want to be drawn into mortal politics a second time.  
One time it was enough! He didn't want to be abused for anything just because he was a vampire!  
Vladimir shook his head. NO! no matter if his father was back or not. He didn't want to go back. It was just too late for that ... too late to face his father again, he certainly didn't want him anymore. And it was too early to come back ... too early to catch a dictatorship.  
Vladimir stretched and crawled back under the covers. No, he wanted to stay here with his foster parents!  
But the voice in his head just didn't let him rest.  
Even if it was different than before. Vladimir closed his eyes convulsively. Now he knew it again! It was Igor's voice he had heard. He had completely forgotten the sound of the voice.  
"Dad ..." Vladimir whispered. "do you still want me?"

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

"But I would have wanted you! What would it have been nice if you had been part of all my adventures!"  
It was the evening for Count Duckula's birthday. He had the present from Vladimir, a cookbook "Delicious vegetarian cooking for beginners".  
"I couldn't know what you were resurrecting. I wouldn't have dreamed that you would come back as a vegetarian. In any case, I couldn't let my foster parents down. They took me in when I was in need was brought up to me as if she was her own son. So you don't just say "bye", especially when they need help themselves. " Vladimir shook his head.  
"Then there was the political situation here. I was just afraid not only to be turned away. But that I would be forced to do cruel things… and if I didn't, I might be put in a cage in Zoo "Or something else! I think you can understand me, Fridolin."  
Grad Duckula considered. Yes, he could understand Vladimir.  
Vladimir cleared his throat, "Forgive me for telling you this for your birthday, it's not very funny."  
Count Duckula waved it off. "I asked you Vladimir." he considered and turned to his butler. "When's Vladimir's birthday?"  
"Vladimir is like any ordinary mallard duck, born in June. On June 22, 1818 to be exact." replied Igor.  
Count Duckula did not like how Igor pronounced the word "ordinary". He just looked at him skeptically, but said nothing.  
Only Vladimir considered. "I completely forgot my birthday, I only knew the year."  
"Well then, now know more. Thanks Igor. Keep telling Vladimir."  
"First I have a question for you brother heart, how was this day for you? I mean how did you experience your revival?"  
Count Duckula considered ...

... he could remember how he sat in that magical coffin. He felt a little dazed. That was the first feeling he could remember. the second feeling was hunger!  
He could see how slowly his eyes opened ...  
... and how this vulture stood in front of him and explained who he was. Count Duckula! what a pleasure it was to have him with him again! And he introduced himself to Igor, just like Emma. Count Duckula remembered getting up slowly and holding on to the coffin because he still felt a little shaky.  
"Your canine teeth my lord?" he remembered the astonished voice well.  
He had felt for his beak. "What teeth? Ducks don't have canines."  
"But vampires already my lord, they are one ... after all these years blood my lord is now needed to regain their strength!"  
"What years?" it had seemed strange to him, somehow wrong, just to be there suddenly! Didn't one have to be born and grow? But he couldn't remember that. He was suddenly there, out of nowhere.  
"I'm hungry ... terrible hunger ..."  
"No wonder my lord, I would like to bring him some blood."  
Count Duckula began to choke. "No blood! Any healthy delicacies, fruits or vegetables!"

Count Duckula giggled at the memory. "You should have seen Igor's face ... indescribable ... stupid."  
Igor snorted offended.  
Vladimir grinned. "I can imagine. What a surprise for our old guy."  
"Remind me of this misfortune," wailed Igor, "the ketchup brought shame to the Duckulas!"  
"IGOR!" take Count Duckula up. "You have told me that enough times."  
"Don't you think such words on his birthday are more than inappropriate?" Vladimir runs over his face. He decided to keep talking to change the subject.

  
************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

Vladimir had got up early in the morning to make tea and prepare breakfast for his foster parents. Since Frank and Jutta moved out and started their own families, Vladimir voluntarily took on more and more tasks. He wanted to give back what they had done for him all these years  
As soon as he had laid the table and took the hot tea from the stove, his foster parents came to the kitchen.  
"Moin little darling," they greeted him. "how did you sleep?"  
Vladimir paused. "Quite well." he lied uncertainly and quickly turned the words so that they could not see his face, and pretended that he was busy with other things. "How did you sleep?"  
"Well." they sat down on their chairs and looked at Vladimir. "Vladimir ... look at us." Vladimir raised his head hesitantly.  
"Did you sleep really well? You know we know you too well, tell the truth."  
Vladimir sighed. Oh yes, his foster parents knew him very well now.  
"I was sleeping ... a little restlessly. It's because ... because ..." Vladimir took a deep breath. "I think my father has returned."  
"And how do you come up with it?" Karl spread some jam on his bun.  
Vladimir shrugged. "Difficult to explain. I just felt it! It was like ... as if I was an instrument and a string was struck in me. It was a response that I replied to." he considered how to explain this feeling. "As if part of me came back, which part is lost. Then I heard another voice in me ... I think it was the voice of our butler ... and then there was the moon."  
"What about the moon?" Martha asked, carefully drinking the hot tea.  
"When the moon is in Eighth House of Aquarius ... you can awaken a duckula again."  
"Astrology," Karl considered. "that is an issue for Else."  
Else was Martha's old friend, she had been to visit many times, Vladimir had watched her a few times laying tarot cards for others.  
Martha nodded. "I'll call her and ask what it means."  
A few hours later, Else was sitting with them in the living room. Vladimir was sitting next to her (on a thick pillow). Karl and Martha sat across from her.  
"So your butler had told you that Count Duckula can be brought back to life when the moon is in Aquarian Eighth House?"  
Vladimir nodded.  
"What does this mean?" Karl asked.  
Else nodded. "The house system in astrology is the outer division into a horoscope. Life experiences are displayed in the direction of the houses. This has to be understood as a kind of quadrant ... it is not so easy to explain. I just want to say that there are 12 divisions, so 12 houses, the 8th house being the most powerful of all. It is associated with physical death and transience. But it does not only mean physical death, but also the death of outdated structures and Behavioral patterns. So it also stands for a kind of rebirth. For change. "  
Vladimir considered. "That would fit. And what is the meaning of the moon?"  
"As you said it was," began Else. "In this case it has to do with magic. In the old writings it is said that the moon accelerates all magic. The full moon is particularly powerful. The one who speaks the magic over others at this time wants to have power over them.  
The moon in Eighth House ... your father should therefore be particularly sensitive to spiritual powers. How he deals with it depends on himself. It can be a need for control in which he uses these powers for himself, or a fear of them develops. Passion and jealousy are close to each other. "  
"What about the Aquarius?" Karl asked.  
"The moon in Aquarius means in astrology that someone wants to live free and unattached. He feels alien to the world and doesn't really belong to it. He wants to decide freely what he does at all times. All doors must be open, otherwise he has the feeling of suffocation. He does not like pressure from others. He has a sociable character and imagination. If it is exaggerated, he gets bogged down and has plans according to which he cannot implement. "  
Vladimir considered. "And what does it mean when someone was born in Aquarius?"  
"Actually the same thing, only that the moon strengthens it. Aquarians are often very original to bizarre. They are difficult to assess. They try everything, are enthusiastic about everything, no matter what it is about. They always have something Interesting things, and usually decide spontaneously according to your mood. But then tend to overestimate yourself. They are anything but boring. "

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

All eyes were on Count Duckula. He raised his hands. "What are you looking at me like?"  
Vladimir grinned and then looked over at Igor. "What are you blaming him for his behavior? YOU woke up at that time!"  
Igor groaned.  
"Yeah yeah ... and if I understand Vladimir correctly, do you want to have power over me?" Count Duckula scowled at Igor.  
Igor cleared his throat and tried to look as innocent as possible. But what he did not do very well.

  
************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

  
Vladimir considered. "We are now in Aquarius month. Was the moon in 8th house yesterday?"  
Else considered. "Since Karl asked me about it, I can answer this question for you ..." she rummaged around in her pocket and pulled out a drawing that looked quite complicated. A pentagram with different symbols and markings in different directions. "... and I have to say. That was the case yesterday. It was also the full moon."  
Vladimir closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  
"So you mean your father came back yesterday?"  
Vladimir just nodded in response.  
"What do you have in front of Vladimir now?"  
He opened his eyes again, shrugged his shoulders. He didn't really know. "I don't know ... I ... how at all?"  
Else reached into her pocket and took out her tarot cards and put them upside down on the table. "Vladimir, pull out three cards and put them in front of you."  
Vladimir looked at her, then on the cards his hand ran over them. Spontaneously, without thinking, he picked up three cards and put them in front of him. He looked questioningly at Else. Else tap each one and explain to Vladimir.

"The 5 goblets. The averted person in the black robe shows you the grief. Silent, straight and lost in thought she looks into nothing. It is still time to process sad feelings, digest setbacks and deal with the emptiness that has arisen. During this time you do not register the rich river directly at our feet, the bridge and the world behind it. Unfortunately we only see 3 buried goblets, the wealth of which we perceive as an irretrievable loss. Mental wounds need their time to heal - this time should be yours When the time of mourning is over, you will raise your head again and open yourself to the abundance around you, then turn around and see the remaining goblets that are just waiting to be used by you. They will let you recognize the world and its possibilities and you will take the first step towards the bridge. "

"The wheel of fate. Good times alternate with bad ones, time and fate are constantly in rotation. It is about your own determination, your attitude to personal fate and the question of meaning. The tarot card Wheel of Fate also reminds you that there is always an opportunity and solutions that you cannot and do not have to influence yourself. You have to be patient and sometimes wait for the right moment until our life situation changes in your favor. "

"The horse drawn carriage is the challenge to pursue the goals consistently and with discipline - in the end there is integration and success. The two draft animals stand for the polarities that have to be overcome. The driver's eyes are always straight ahead Only he takes responsibility for the company and only he is the sole recipient of the expected fame, sometimes having to let go of his familiar surroundings and not looking back. The starry sky as a car cover symbolizes the personal universe, it is about action The car of your life's journey that must always be guided towards the goal and the desired success. It is important not to waste time and to take advantage of outside help. The horse drawn carriager also warns you, not your own strength to overestimate and to prove and improve the skill in holding the reins every day his car requires a willingness to learn. Even small resets and disabilities will not be completely avoidable with this tightrope act. "

There was silence. Vladimir felt his foster parents slowly and gently stroke his hair, he felt their love for him. "I'll take my time," he whispered. "until the moment has come. But the time has not yet come." He snuggled up to his foster parents. No, he would not leave her! Not so long as they were alive and he knew that their time was coming ...


	2. ... it's time to come back

A year later in 1989

Vladimir sat on the sofa with his foster parents, staring intently at the television. He saw the pictures of people walking on the streets and how they are "We are the people!" screamed.  
He watched a peaceful revolution seize the people until November. He saw pictures of people climbing the Berlin Wall ... until it was finally destroyed. Part of the "Iron Curtain of the East" was destroyed.  
"An obstacle has fallen ..." whispered Karl Vladimir in the ear.

A few weeks later, Vladimir was sitting in front of the television again, this time he looked paralyzed. The picture repeated. But this time it hit his old home. Spurred on by the success in East Germany, the people wanted to free themselves from Romania. The uprising began on December 16. Vladimir feverishly followed the news every day.  
This time there were deaths. He trembled and snuggled up to his foster mother with many pictures. She caresses him and tries to calm him down. "Everything will be fine Vladimir ... everything will be fine." On December 25, Vladimir's wish was fulfilled, the spook passed, the dictator was executed.

It had been a year, which also changed everything for Vladimir. Because it made the way to his home a little bit freer. But he still didn't feel free enough to take this step. There was still too much that connected him to his new home and that prevented him from returning to his old home.

1990  
the strength of his foster parents declined more and more. Vladimir could practically watch them grow weaker and weaker. The worst met Karl. He often sat at the table exhausted and looked into the empty space. Vladimir then often climbed onto his lap and snuggled up close to him. He wanted to make him feel close. Show him that he wouldn't leave him alone. They had experienced too much together. Karl had become his second father. He had saved his life twice, once when he operated on him after being injured by the hand grenade. The second time he decided to take him to Germany and raise him like his own son.  
Otherwise Vladimir would have been lynched.  
All of this, and that he had been given so much love over the years, Vladimir would never forget them. They had loved him - and shaped him.  
One day Karl no longer had the strength to get out of bed, he just lay there and Vladimir stayed with him all the hours. In the end he spoke so softly that only the fine ears of a vampire understood his words, which spoke to Vladimir.  
"Vladimir ..." he heard Karl's broken and soft voice. "... it is time ... that you ... go back ... you ... have to go home ... you are now ... a big ... boy ..."  
Vladimir could no longer see because the tears obscured his eyes. He knew the whole family was with them, but at that moment he only took Karl. How his hand stroked his hair again and finally went limp.  
Vladimir swallowed painfully. It was the second time in his life that he had lost a father. As if through a veil, he got up, stumbled into his room, threw himself on his bed and cried uncontrollably. He felt like the little chick back then ...  
At some point he fell asleep with exhaustion. When he woke up again, the body had already been picked up, the family sat silently in the kitchen with a cup of tea in front of them. But they hardly drank anything. Without a word, Vladimir crawled onto a foster mother's lap. She pressed it on but didn't say a word either.  
It wasn't much different a week later when they were together at Karl's funeral. It all seemed like a repeating dream to Vladimir.  
He heard what was being discussed because it concerned his foster mother ... and him.

"One of us has to move back into the house. We cannot leave Vladimir with such a responsibility alone. He is far too small ... not too weak ... but too small. He cannot support mother if she falls. He hardly arrives the kitchen appliances. We know Vladimir, he overwhelms himself by asking for help, "  
"Vladimir had to survive alone for many years of his life, it is normal for him .. you shouldn't forget Frank."  
Frank and Jutta talked for a while longer. Finally Frank decided to sell his house to return to his parents' house. His family was slightly smaller than Jutta's. After all, they both still live in Dorf, and they eventually continued their father's veterinary practice. And this was integrated into her old parents' house.  
Frank informed Vladimir of this. "My family will move in now and help you."  
"I do not need any help." answered Vladimir dully.  
"But you need that ... Vladimir, she is also my mother. You are not the only one who wants to help her. Little big brother, we can only make it together."

The mother's care took only a year.  
In 1991 Vladimir was able to observe the dismantling of her, even if she tried to hide it better. As far as possible, she was still there for her family and acted as if she had gained new courage and joy when part of the family was with her again. But Vladimir felt that her path was also coming to an end.  
When the others slept, Vladimir often crawled into bed with her and they talked quietly.  
About Karl, what they had experienced with him but also how it should go on with Vladimir. And she spoke similarly to him in his last minutes.  
"Vladimir… you have now grown up. You are no longer the little chick, the little child that came to be at that time. I think… when I went my last way… it is time for you to go on and come back to your own family. We did everything possible for you. "  
"But if my father doesn't want me anymore?"  
"You will never find out if you don't even try. Vladimir is mortal - you are not. Your place is not by our side. It is not your destiny and you know that."  
That year Martha also left this world and returned to her husband to return to another.  
Vladimir just felt empty. Now he had lost a mother for the second time. Even if he couldn't remember his birth mother.

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

Count Duckula had tears in his eyes. Now he understood why Vladimir had never wanted to talk about that time.  
"Forgive me for asking you."  
Vladimir smiled painfully at him. "It's okay Fridolin. I think it wasn't wrong."  
"Then why did you only come back in 1995 sir? Why not before?" asked Igor Vladimir,  
"Because it turned out to be not so easy ... apart from the fact that I first had to feel that the time had really come."

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

Vladimir remembered how he sat with Frank and Jutta at the notary a few weeks later and read the will to them. Vladimir was also considered, only now did he learn that his foster parents had created his own account for him to save money for Vladimir's return to Transylvania.  
It was her wish that he would do everything possible to return to his home. Just as he had wished for in 1948. Should this not be possible, Vladimir would have lifelong housing rights in his foster parents' house. Which none of the family was allowed to question.  
But in the first place was the return.

During this time Vladimir had become very calm again, thoughtful. Always lost in thought, he avoided talking more than wanting to participate. He often sat on the swing in the garden, watching the sky overhead. It had been so long since he had left his home involuntarily. The world had changed a lot over the years, he had changed. He was no longer a small chick, which was launched into the world completely inexperienced and was simply asked to survive.  
He was still very young for a vampire. But inexperienced? No. He had seen so much! and in those days he thought about it again. His short time with the vampire Nick, his decades-long journey through the wilderness. Where he had become a feral vampire duck. He had to live like all animals in the wild. Otherwise he would not have survived. He had to learn to hunt and hide himself. Either you were the predator or you fell victim to one.  
To be hunters or hunted. And even though he was a vampire, he had still been a little duck, which became more of a meal than the other way around.  
Then this time in captivity, when he met Karl. Which finally took him into his own family.  
And he could see how short a mortal's life span was. Did he really want to experience this again, again and again?  
For a moment Vladimir had in mind the picture of an old piece of furniture that was passed down from generation to generation.  
But it was not a piece of furniture!  
No, it just couldn't go on like this! He got up from the swing and went back into the house and spoke to Frank.  
"I want to apply for entry! I want ... to go home!"  
Frank looked at him seriously and nodded. "Tomorrow morning we will write to the Romanian consulate ..."

Said and done.  
It took weeks for them to get an answer. However, this was sobering. Vladimir Duckula's entry was refused.  
Vladimir felt a world collapsed. Frank, however, got angry, downright angry.  
"You can't give up so quickly Vladimir! We will now write to the embassy and describe your case! Finally we have a whole folder with the certificates that you are peaceful."  
"If you want to send all of this, it won't be a letter anymore. It will be a package."  
"Then let it be a package! Come on Vladimir ..." he stroked Vladimir's hair. "... a duckula doesn't give up that quickly!"  
Vladimir looked at him. "You're right. I survived the wilderness and the captivity - then I shouldn't let such a stupid letter stop me!"  
Frank grinned. "That's right Vladimir!"  
Angrily, Vladimir tore up the consulate's letter. Frank, Jutta and Vladimir soon sat together to write a letter to the Romanian ambassador describing Vladimir Fall.

This time it took months for the answer to come. It was early 1993. Vladimir took a stack of letters from the mailbox and looked through them. One was addressed to him and the sender was the Romanian Embassy in Berlin.  
Hurry ran Vladimir into the house, threw the remaining letters on the table, sat on his high chair, put his letter in front of him and stared at him with a pounding heart.  
He closed his eyes and started counting inside, he wanted to calm down, but somehow he didn't really succeed.  
"Get a grip on Vladimir!" admonished himself. But whenever he tried to take the letter, his hands backed away from him as if it were made of glowing coals.  
He leaned on his chin and sighed.  
After a while, Vladimir had no idea how long he had been sitting there, Frank came into the room. He looked at Vladimir in astonishment.  
"What about you?"  
"I got a letter ... an answer."  
"And? I hope it wasn't another refusal."  
"I do not know."  
"What do you think you don't know?"  
"I didn't open it."  
"So Vladimir, how are you going to find out what has been written to you?"  
Vladimir sighed. "I do not know either."  
Frank got a coffee and sat down with him. "Come on open it! Come on…"

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

"And what did it say?" Count Duckula was excited as if it was happening now. "It wasn't a rejection, was it? I mean with what right ... ?!"  
Vladimir shook his head. "It was not a rejection. It was an invitation. I should go to Berlin myself and present my request to the ambassador. I ..."  
Vladimir stopped, he raised his head and listened.  
The now practiced Count Duckula felt it too. they got a visit. However, nobody had this invitation.  
"Little goose!" Count Duckula was too annoyed and angry to frighten him. With a short flash he had disappeared into a cloud of smoke and was standing in front of the vampire hunter standing in front of the castle.  
"So this is really outrageous!" he started at the vampire hunter.  
Van Goosewing got a terrible fright and screamed. "The Vampire!"  
"Yeah right!" Count Duckula crossed her arms. "and this one is pretty angry! I didn't invite them."  
"En ... en ... a vampire hunter doesn't need an invitation! Take this you fiend!" he threatened the count with his fingers.  
Count Duckula looked down at him. "No, no. I refuse to receive any body parts. Not even for my birthday!"  
"Oh ... oh forgive me. I forgot my gun again. Forgive me again ... you ... it's your birthday today?"  
"Yes, that's right! And it's a rude birthday for someone to threaten him with his death! It's less than rude - it's outrageous! And I won't let myself be offered that!"  
Von Goosewing looked unsettled. "Yes .. yes of course ... you don't do that. My manners ... what impression do you have of me? ... Of course I will take this into account ..." he took off his hat. "… I apologize again."  
"Suppose. After all, I'm not an inhuman uh induck. And so that they know right away, on June 22nd they have no business here either!"  
"May I ask politely why?"  
"You can… of course."  
"And?" Count Duckula looked questioningly Von Goosewing.  
"Oh yes ... now it's my brother's birthday."  
"Oh, if that's the case ... but I'll be back! And I'll destroy you fiends!"  
Count Duckula watched him go. "As you mean ... as you mean ..."  
Then he appears from a cloud of smoke in the living room of the castle. "The guy can take your nerve off ... where were we?"  
"I had received an invitation from Ambassador, in which I should present my request to myself ..."

***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************  
"… Berlin." Vladimir looked up  
"I will go there with you, that is not a problem. I will coordinate with Jutta that she will practice alone for at least two days. This appointment is important. We have to keep it!"  
"Not us - but me!" Vladimir's voice sounded busy.  
"How do you want to get there alone? Nobody from you can publish that. Of course I will accompany you." Frank watched Vladimir closely.  
"What is going through your mind Vladimir?"  
Vladimir sighed. "My family is from nobility. My father is a count. I have no experience with it ... and the man is the ambassador."  
"He won't kill you Vladimir."  
"No. But he can decide my fate." Vladimir slumped slightly.  
"He hardly. He has to pass it on to the President."  
Vladimir groaned. "It doesn't really calm me down ... a duckula has to beg for admission to his home. We are not a family that has made himself particularly popular there."  
Frank put a hand on Vladimir's shoulder. "Everything will be good Vladimir. Remember what the cards told you then."  
"" The car, an invitation to pursue the goals consistently and with discipline - in the end there is integration and success ... "whispered Vladimir.  
"... success and integration. I hope the cards are right."

Berlin. He had never seen a city like this. None with such a meaning. His father had never taken him to Bucharest or Cluj. He only knew the cities from "Hear-Say" or from television. Surely he had been in Sydney at the time. But that was in 1905. much had changed since then. Even Hamburg in the 1960s was no longer comparable with this.  
Vladimir looked out of the car window, watched the amount of vehicles that passed them, the large buildings. The city was so ... overwhelming!  
It wasn't his world.  
"And those in the pension know about me?" he asked Frank.  
"At least I told him as much as necessary." Frank replied as he continued to look at the street.  
"Couldn't we go straight to the embassy?"  
"Are you kidding, Vladimir? Your appointment is at 8:30 in the morning. How should we have done it?"  
"Overnight in a car?" Vladimir replied.  
"In the car? No thanks Vladimir. I think it is better if we arrive rested. It is a small pension ... you do not cause a lot of attention."  
Vladimir thoughtfully looked at the buildings as they drove past. "And where is this supposed to be?"  
But as they drove on they came back to areas where it was almost rural and the buildings were smaller.  
Vladimir leaned back satisfied. Shortly thereafter, Frank drove into a driveway in a smaller building. "We have arrived."  
Vladimir freed himself from the seat belt, opened the car door and jumped out while Frank took out her suitcase.  
"Looks comfortable." Vladimir looked at the building, "I hope people are as friendly as the building looks."  
"Will be Vladimir, will be ... I spent a long time on the phone with them. Come on now."  
When they entered Vladimir faced a young woman who looked at Vladimir in astonishment.  
"You but a cute guy." she leaned down to him. Vladimir had to hold himself first, he held out his hand to her.  
"Pleased to meet you, my name is Vladimir Duckula."  
"And my name is Susanne. Duckula ... you come from Romania?"  
"Originally, yes."  
Frank smiled in satisfaction as he stood at the reception and waited for Susanne's mother, who ran the pension. When she finally came, Frank greeted her and then glanced at Vladimir in astonishment. "He's not snappy yet?"  
"Oh mom, look, he's so cute!" with the words she stroked Vladimir's hair. "and the teeth ... they are so cool!"  
Vladimir shook his head. "No, they're not particularly cold, only they get a little colder in winter."  
Frank had to laugh, shook his head. "No, Vladimir isn't snappy. He's perfectly tame."  
Susanne could hardly tear herself away from Vladimir. "May I take a picture of you? No other friend of mine believes me!"  
"I don't mind if you photograph me. But I don't think it would help you as evidence. I'm a vampire ..."  
"Oh, it doesn't matter! That's just great!"  
Vladimir cocked his head to the side, "As you think Susanne ... but don't expect too much from a photo as evidence."

When they were in their room shortly afterwards, Vladimir dropped into bed. "They are nice!"  
"I told you Vladimir." opened the suitcase and took out her clothes and hung them up.  
For Vladimir they had specially bought a jacket (which was anything but simple in its larger size) and a tie, it should make a particularly good impression.  
"You could have said to Susanne that it is difficult to take pictures of you, Vladimir."  
"I did. But if she doesn't want to understand ..."  
"Until you get excited?" asked Frank Vladimir.  
"Please do not ask."  
Frank sat down on the bed next to Vladimir. "The same thing happened to me."  
Neither of them slept well that night and were up early in the morning. So they decided to take a little walk before going back to the pension and wanting to change.  
Vladimir wasn't used to being dressed up like that, and he felt a little strange in his jacket. Frank had to tie his tie. Then they drove off.

When they finally got to the embassy Vladimir could hear knocking.  
"You are now entering Romanian soil." Frank whispered to him.  
"Don't make stupid jokes."  
"It's not a stupid joke. When you enter a country's embassy, this ground already counts for the country," Frank explained.  
It was not long before they were stopped, Vladimir took the invitation letter out of his jacket. "We received an invitation."  
"Vladimir Duckula?"  
Vladimir nodded. "And this is Frank Janssen, my company."  
Inquiring looks at Frank. "My parents took him in."  
"Why didn't your parents come yourself?"  
"You passed away."  
"My condolences. Please follow me ..."

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

Vladimir faltered in his story. He frowned.  
"I think I saw Von Goosewing back then." he said thoughtfully. "I remember a Ganter in a checked suit. He was sitting in the corridor waiting for something. And if I remember correctly he looked after me ..."  
"Little goose? At the embassy? What did he want there?"  
"I don't know, I didn't ask him. I had other concerns. But if I think about it like that… it could well be that he was involved. To what extent."

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** **************************************************

Vladimir had no idea how long they had to wait before being called in. They were greeted warmly and referred to a chair in front of a large desk. The ambassador sat behind the desk. However, when he noticed that he could no longer see Vladimir behind the desk, he smiled, took a chair and sat next to Vladimir.  
After the mutual presentation one went to talk about the actual topic.  
"You must have wondered why I ordered you here Vladimir Duckula."  
Vladimir was unsure, and you could see that too. "I ... uh .. well ..."  
"You don't have to be afraid of me. You can speak frankly ..." he tried in Vladimir's native language. But now Vladimir looked uncertain, he answered only hesitantly and hesitantly. Until he raised his head. "I can hardly speak it anymore, it would be easier for me if we continued to speak in German."  
The ambassador smiled. "If you want to go back, you still have to practice."  
Vladimir nodded grimly.  
"Well, I brought you up because I have some problems and wanted to get to know you better." He looked at Vladimir urgently.  
"The first problem is, you can't identify yourself. And there is no indication of your origin. No documents. Nothing."  
"Please excuse me for interfering," Frank cleared his throat. "but we have sent them all the documents, including the confirmation of the care my parents took over."  
The ambassador nodded. "Yes, that's true. Unfortunately, this is not proof that he really is a duckula. What we would need would be a documentary entry, something like an entry in a birth certificate. Just ... how could this be about a vampire? There is something like that not at all."  
Vladimir considered. "There could be such an entry in my family's transcripts."  
"Sure, but this wouldn't be an officially certified person either. Even if someone asked your family. A vampire doesn't have children!"  
"Yes, I am one!" protested Vladimir.  
"What do you know about your mother? Maybe this would help? Where did she come from, what was her name?"  
Vladimir bowed his head. "Unfortunately I can't say anything about her, I don't know her name or what her name was."  
"Your exact date of birth?"  
Vladimir shook his head again.  
"It really isn't much. Officially, you don't exist."  
"That's nonsense, I'm sitting in front of you!" protest Vladimir.  
The ambassador smiled. "That's true little one, only you can't prove that you are actually a duckula."  
Vladimir feels despair rise, then despite. "You know, it would be a lot easier for me to say I wasn't one. My family doesn't have a good reputation. If I denied my origin, would it be much easier for me to enter? So why should I do that if it wasn't the truth? "  
Frank had to smile at Vladimir's argument, that was the Vladimir he knew.  
The ambassador also had to smile. "Of course you're right ... well let's assume you're a duckula. Here comes the next problem. Why should we bring just one in the country? Our people have just got rid of a dictator. Why should we then get someone like that in? "  
"I ... I know this is the jumping punk." Vladimir whispered.  
"Forgive me for interfering again, I've been living with Vladimir all my life. He not only showed the slightest hint of cruelty. On the contrary."  
"This is also evident from the documents they sent us. But they also have to make sure that we first have to check their authenticity. After all, it is not anyone to let a duckula into the country. How can that be explained to a people? if you have already suffered from one? a second duckula ... you have to be responsible for that first of all. "  
Vladimir closed his eyes, he felt Frank's hand on his shoulder.  
"My family took him in and raised him. We hardly know anyone else. We are reluctant to let him go, but it is his right. He would be an asset to their country."  
Laugh. "As I said, we want to check the documents again."  
The ambassador turned back to Vladimir. "Now I want to know more about your story, Vladimir tell me everything, how did you get away from home in the first place?"  
Vladimir took a deep breath. "Do you have a lot of time? It's a very long story."  
"I'll have to take my time ..."

And so Vladimir started. To tell his entire life story in short form, from the day he arrived in Australia.  
The ambassador listened with interest, in between he ordered a coffee for himself and Frank.  
At the end of Vladimir's story, the ambassador folded his hands and looked at him. "A long and dramatic story."  
He stood up. "I have some problems with the beginning. A traveling castle?"  
"It's the truth!" Vladimir tried to calm down, but felt excitement rising. "I know it must sound crazy to you - but it's the truth! Check it out if you don't believe me, the villagers should be able to confirm that the lock disappears and then reappears." He sounded desperate.  
"I will, I'll have it checked. But please little one, calm down. I didn't want to accuse you of a lie. It just sounds so crazy."  
Frank took Vladimir's hand and looked at him briefly.  
"If I have learned something from living together with a vampire duck, it is so that the old saying is true:" There are more things in heaven and on earth than your school wisdom dreams of. "  
"Shakespeare". The ambassador smiled, stepped up to Vladimir and put a hand reassuringly on his shoulder.  
"You really told me everything now, but not the most important thing yet."  
Vladimir looked at him questioningly, "Why do you want to go back?" the ambassador looked at Frank.  
"I ask you to leave us alone for a while. I want to talk to Vladimir alone now."  
"Of course." Frank got up and whispered a few more calm words to Vladimir before leaving the room.  
Waited outside the door. While he waited he felt like he was being watched all the time.  
"Vladimir Duckula, would you tell me exactly why you want to go back at all?"  
Vladimir didn't understand the question. "Can't you understand it? I mean ... I left my home in 1905. I just want to go back! It's my home! I was born there."  
The ambassador sat down with Vladimir. "I understand that. It just doesn't really answer my question. You said yourself that you are different from your family, like your father, your life has made you different. So why do you want to go back to a world that isn't really yours? "  
Vladimir bowed his head. "I understand what you mean. If I was born there ... I am completely alienated from this world. I don't even know if I will be accepted."  
"Exactly this."  
"It's true. I don't know what's going to happen." Vladimir shrugged. "It could very well be that my father repulsed me. Or worse. But ..." Vladimir didn't know how to explain it. "... I can only say that ... it drives me back. Leave everything that was behind me ..."  
"Don't you think your father could make you the vampire he wants?"  
"It might be that he tries. But ... I don't want it."  
"A risk."  
"I know," Vladimir sighed. "but I have to take it. If it shouldn't be, I'll go back."  
"And why don't you want to stay with the foster family right away?"  
"You know" Vladimir raised his head. "I lost my mother early, then my father, and recently my foster parents. And now I'm watching Frank and Jutta grow older. I fed them myself as infants. If I stay between you mortals longer, I will always watch again how you are born and die. over and over again ... that's a curse. have you lost someone you love? "  
"Oh yeah."  
"I am 175 years old now. But I am still young for our species. I am a mixed breed, my life expectancy is around 700 to 800 years! Can you imagine what it is like if you know exactly that you are always and will experience again and again. How they will all survive? ... it is cruel. It is not my world, I do not belong there! "  
The ambassador nodded. But Vladimir continued to speak. "You know ... I can't explain it. But there is something in me that keeps calling me back.  
I feel it in my heart ... I just HAVE to go back! to the place where I was born. I think this call will tear me apart one day if I haven't listened to it. And at least tried it! Do you understand? I just have to risk it!… PLEASE give me the chance to fulfill my destiny! "  
There was silence, the ambassador looked intently at Vladimir. Finally he got up. "It's good boy, it's good."  
With that he went to the door and asked Frank back in. "You can take him back." When he got to Vladimir, he just said.  
"I will forward your application and have the documents checked. Take care little Vladimir. I wish you the best of luck."

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

"And how did it go on then?" asked Count Duckula excitedly.  
Vladimir shrugged.  
"I was waiting for an answer ... I waited a long time. Month after month without feedback. Nothing. Until I got so restless and kept calling the embassy and asking if I knew anything new. Finally I got the answer."  
Count Duckula stopped breathing with tension.  
"In early 1995, I received a letter from the consulate, which informed me that my entry was approved. I waited two years for the answer. I had to wait so long. It was an exchange of feelings, between hope and fear ... "

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** *

Vladimir remembered very well how he waited for an answer day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. sometimes he was in a high, then he had a feeling of happiness, then he was again frustrated and suddenly gave up being allowed to see his home again.  
Then when he got that answer, a thick letter with a lot of documents. The most important thing was a short message to him, which said that after thorough examination of all circumstances, Vladimir Duckula was allowed to enter Romania, Transylvania.  
Vladimir stared at the letter with fascination ...  
When the family asked him what the answer was, he just said. "I can go home."

What Vladimir experienced over the next few weeks was another emotional pool. The members of his foster family were happy for him and cried because they knew that the farewell was imminent. They all knew life only with this little vampire. It was perfectly normal that he was always around, what should life be like without him?  
And not only did the family seem to live in this feeling, most of the village population also lived through it. Vladimir Duckula's presence has been a normal street scene for decades. As if he had always been there, like an old tree that just belonged to it.  
Now should he really go?  
So the day came when Jutta announced that she had bought two flight tickets to Cluj on the Internet for Frank and Vladimir. And I also immediately looked for a hostel where they could stay.

"… Once you have arrived you can rest from your trip and spend the night there. The next day you can rent a car there and travel on to the castle. I figured that Frank might stay in Cluj for a few days afterwards to wait what happens. If Vladimir is not accepted, he can return there and then you will come home together. If not, you will fly home to Frank on your own. "  
"But you have planned everything well through your little sister." Frank had to grin. "But honestly. Do you hope that I will bring Vladimir back?"  
She sighed heavily. "Honestly? I don't know. I love you Vladimir… and it hurts me a lot to let you go! You can't imagine how it hurts me! But I think… because we love you so, we have to learn to let go so you can continue on your way. We have no right to hold you. "  
"Thank you Jutta. I promise I will visit you. How should I ever forget you ?!" With these words Vladimir hugged everyone in the family.  
There were tears, whether tears of joy or sadness, could not be described exactly.  
The night before departure, Vladimir sneaked out of the house and went to the cemetery to speak to his foster parents.

Early in the morning Vladimir then went on the trip with Frank, first to the airport to take a plane to Cluj.  
Vladimir kept looking at the flight itself and looking at the landscape below.  
"What are you thinking of Vladimir?" Frank asked him.  
"I thought about it ... how strange it is. If I were to walk the way it would take me years ... and so I will be there in a few hours. It feels strange to me. Although I have to say that it is with a lock would go faster ... "

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

"Well ... Fridolin, you know the rest of the story." he smiled at the count.  
"Thank you for coming," Count Duckula picked up the cookbook. "someone else wouldn't have given me such a great book!"  
Vladimir grinned. "As if it's the one thing that's important to you ..." he took his brother in his arms.  
"Happy Birthday Count Fridolin Duckula."

************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** ************************************************** 

Complement. What Vladimir could not have known ...

It was Von Goosewing who he met at the embassy in 1991. Vladimir didn't know him. Von Goosewing was only startled when he saw that young mallard accompanied by a mortal. As soon as he got himself together, he jumped up. "Duckula! Count Duckula! What is this monster looking for in the message ... what dark plans is he pursuing ?!" He wanted to follow Vladimir, but an employee stopped him and tried to calm the excited Ganter. "What do you have?"  
"Count Duckula! Don't you understand? He's here! The fiend is here!" screamed from little goose and tried to free himself.  
"There's no Count Duckula here."  
"BUT ... I just saw him! Let go of me! I have to stop him!"  
Stopping? the alarm bells rang among the employees, an attempted murder in the embassy really didn't make a good impression in public. He glanced at the security guards who were slowly approaching them.  
"First of all, explain to me who you are."  
"I ... I'm Dr. Von Goosewing, the greatest vampire hunter in the world! And I know Count Duckula! My family has been hunting him for centuries!"  
"Aha! And you mean this count is a vampire - and is he here?"  
"Yeah ... let me go I have to prevent an accident!"  
"How does he see the count too?"  
"He ... he's small, green, has a big yellow beak with terrible fangs! And he has black hair!"  
"And you think that duck that just came in here was Count Duckula?"  
Von Goosewing nodded excitedly. "Let me go now! I have to prevent an accident!"  
The security personnel came and was there to receive the doctor. "Please ... Please ... understand! Let me go ..."  
they wanted to lead him out, Van Goosewing struggled against it in vain. "... I will also be very peaceful. I just want to speak to your ambassador ... I want to see if he is fine!"  
In fact, you gave in after a while. However, they only wanted to let him after the current visit was no longer there.  
So it happened that after Vladimir's audition of his request, shortly afterwards an excited goose boy spoke to the ambassador. Only that he wanted to turn to things other than the Vladimir Duckula case.  
"And you think this was Count Duckula?" the ambassador asked calmly.  
"Yes! Yes for sure! I would recognize him everywhere! ... did he try to bite her ?!"  
"No ... and they would really testify that he was a duckula!"  
Von Goosewing nodded again, becoming more and more impatient from minute to minute. "What did he want?"  
The ambassador looked closely at the Ganter. But didn't really answer the question. "Would you testify that he was a duckula?"  
"YES! They still don't understand ?!"  
"Oh, I understand very well ... and I even have a question for you. One of them is, do you know anything about a traveling castle?"  
"Yes yes yes ... this damn castle! I don't know how it works! But it travels from one place to another, at the command of these wicked counts! I have experienced it myself!"  
The ambassador raised his eyebrows. "Thanks for the information, they helped us a lot."  
V0n Goosewing gasped for excitement. "Wh .. was that all ?!"  
"Yes. You can go now."  
Anger and despair shouted loudly Von Goosewing ...


End file.
